Screened off

and outside her insurance cover. The vessel was threatened with repossession by the ship’s mortgagees but the policy was renegotiated to include Dundee.

“In 1908, an associate company, Humber Steam Coasters, was formed and acquired the 26-year-old steamship Owain Tudur from owners in Liverpool. A steam coaster of that name grounded on the promontory at Scurdie Ness with a cargo of potatoes and grain in 1913.

“The local lifeboat Sarah Jane Turner stood by while she eventually refloated and drifted over on to the Annat Bank. The rising tide allowed her to float off with little damage sustained and steam up the South Esk.

“Later, Rix coasters were regular callers at Montrose with cargoes of oilcake from Hull. A few years after the end of the Second World War, the company was restructured and known as Rix Shipping Company Ltd. Shortly after, further coasters were acquired as the firm expanded.

“In 1958, Rix began shipping crushed agricultural limestone from Whitby to Scottish ports including Montrose and Perth, with Rix Limes formed in 1959. Rix went on to purchase the local firm of stevedores J. M. Piggins, with the new name Piggins & Rix soon becoming established on the Montrose waterfront.” introduction of oilseed rape as a crop in the mid 1980s meant it had to be sown in the first three weeks of August.

“The spring barley harvest is not until late August, early September, so farmers had to start growing more winter barley (sown the previous autumn) which is cut and baled in late July, early August.

“Also, the round bales rapidly took over from the small, square bales, and could be left out in all weathers, due to the greater rainproofing, whereas the small bales had to be put under cover immediately, or else ruined.”

A reader who still enjoys driving is puzzled by the fact that, while we extol the beauty of Scotland, we encourage trees and bushes to grow at the side of so many of our roads, thus obliterating said beauty.

“This came to mind during a drive to Crianlarich,” he says. “The fault was compounded by the fact that trees were located at the side of some lay-bys. Surely they could be cut away.

“It recalled a drive through Wales some years ago when it felt as if the road had been walled off from the no doubt majestic view.”